Washington Nationals - PlayerWatch

May 30, 2012|Reuters

RF Bryce Harper struck out on three pitches with the bases loaded and one out in the eighth inning Tuesday. The Nationals were down 2-1 to the Marlins at the time. Manager Davey Johnson said Harper fought in the at-bat despite the strikeout. "He is trying to make something happen," Johnson said. "He is probably a little more discouraged that he had a couple pretty good pitches to drive and he didn't center on them." Harper did hit his fourth triple of the season in the sixth inning.

OF Corey Brown laid down a perfect suicide squeeze bunt that brought home the Nationals' only run. It was Brown's first career RBI, in only his fourth major league game.

LHP Matt Purke, a top pitching prospect, will make his pro debut for Class A Hagerstown at Greensboro on Wednesday morning. Purke has spent the beginning of the season in extended spring training because of an undisclosed injury and was bothered by shoulder issues in college at Texas Christian.

C Jhonatan Solano, with his mom and dad watching from the stands, smacked a pinch double in the ninth inning in his first major league at-bat. Solano admitted afterward he was a little nervous. "There was a little bit of pressure," Solano said. "I breathed like 50 times. Hopefully I would get a hit, so that was good."

OF Michael Morse made a rehab start in his quest to return again from a lat injury that has kept him sidelined for most of the season. Although the game was suspended because of rain, Morse made two plate appearances, walking once and striking out in the other. And even though he did not get a base hit, Morse deemed the night successful. "I felt really good," Morse said. "I felt almost normal. I surprised myself with how I felt."

SS Ian Desmond went 2-for-4 with a stolen base and a run scored. He had just come off an 0-for-9 slide that included four strikeouts in his previous two games. His average is .268.